Game 55: Orlando Magic @ Cleveland Cavaliers | February 19th, 2014 | 7 PM [EST]

[Dr. Gymbo]

(21-33)​

vs.

(16-39)

Date: February 19th, 2014
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Time: 7:00 pm [EST]

[video=youtube;0FUv1eT1aTc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FUv1eT1aTc[/video]

Watch on Fox Sports Ohio with:

Coaches​

Mike Brown

Vs.

Jacque Vaughn​

Presumed Starting Lineups (Updated 2/19/14 @ 2 PM EST)​

​

Point Guard: Jarrett Jack

Shooting Guard: Kyrie Irving

Small Forward: Luol Deng

Power Forward: Tristan Thompson

Center: Tyler Zeller

Vs.

Point Guard: Jameer Nelson

Shooting Guard: Arron Afflalo

Small Forward: Tobias Harris

Power Forward: Glen Davis

Center: Nikola Vucevic​

Benches​

Matthew Dellavedova

C.J. Miles

Alonzo Gee

Anthony Bennett

Henry Sims

Vs.

Victor Oladipo

E'Tauwn Moore

Moe Harkless

Andrew Nicholson

Kyle O'Quinn


Injuries/Questionable

Anderson Varejao - Sore Back

Dion Waiters - Knee Hyperextension

Game Preview:​

The Cleveland Cavaliers appeared unfazed by a six-day layoff, picking up right where they left off prior to the All-Star break. They can extend what is already their longest winning streak in four years on Wednesday when they host the struggling Orlando Magic.

Cleveland (21-33) opened up its post-break schedule with a 114-85 win in Philadelphia on Tuesday for its fifth straight victory - its most since winning eight in a row from March 8-24, 2010, when LeBron James was still with the club.

Tyler Zeller led seven Cavaliers in double figures with 18 points and a career-best 15 rebounds.

Kyrie Irving's All-Star MVP performance may have been more taxing than his time in Tuesday's contest. He recorded 14 points in 24 minutes - his second fewest of the season - two days after totaling 31 points and 14 assists over nearly 34 minutes in the All-Star Game.

"Give the guys in the locker room credit," coach Mike Brown said. "They've done a great job. Our guys just keep fighting."

Dion Waiters, who scored 31 in Friday's Rising Stars Challenge, had 13 points before exiting in the second quarter versus the 76ers with a hyperextended left knee after landing awkwardly on a dunk. Brown had no update on his status following the game, and Cleveland is 2-3 without Waiters, who also missed time due to the flu and a wrist injury.

The Cavaliers have won five straight meetings with Orlando, including two matchups earlier this season. A sore knee sidelined Irving from an 87-81 overtime home win on Jan. 2, though Anderson Varejao had 18 points and 25 rebounds - matching the second-highest total in the NBA this season. Varejao missed his third straight game Tuesday due to a sore back.

Not even a visit to league-worst Milwaukee brought an end to Orlando's road woes. The Magic (16-39) lost their 13th straight away from home in Tuesday's 104-100 loss to the Bucks. Orlando claimed a late lead on Nikola Vucevic's jumper with 50 seconds left, but the Bucks went ahead for good with a Nate Wolters 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.

Victor Oladipo scored just six and is averaging 9.0 points while shooting 22.9 percent over his last four road contests. He is shooting 37.9 percent on the road compared to 44.1 percent at home.

Five of the Magic's next six games are on the road, where they're 3-23. Another loss on Wednesday would bring Orlando within two games of the longest road losing streak in franchise history - a 16-game skid from Jan. 27-March 21, 2006.

One of the few positives for Orlando was Arron Afflalo breaking out of his mini-slump with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. He had averaged 12.0 points and shot 34.1 percent over his last four games heading into the break.

Cleveland is shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range during its winning streak after previously shooting 35.1 percent on the season. Irving is 10 for 16 over the last five games while Luol Deng, Anthony Bennett and C.J. Miles are a combined 19 for 38 during that stretch.

Irving scored 31 in the first meeting on Dec. 13.

What to Watch For:​

1. How does the Trade Deadline Affect this Game: Will we see players shut down? How many of the current Cavaliers could be playing in their last game for the Wine and Gold due to the trade winds blowing around the NBA over the next 26 hours?

2. Dion Waiters' Injury: How will the loss of Dion affect the team? The team has gone 2-3 so far without him this season. We are going to need to rely on our bench to step up. Will the bench hold up without Dion, especially if he is out for an extended period of time? We are already out Anderson Varejao - this forces Mike Brown into his erm...strength... of creative rotations.

3. Current Winning Streak: Even against a reeling Magic team, will the Cavs push this winning streak forward another game? If so, does the current winning trend impact the moves that interim GM Dan Gilbert...erm...David Griffin makes? Would a trade, potentially a seismic one, offset the delicate balance of our winning streak? And more importantly, our locker room?

[video=youtube;WmSc1pjKs8s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmSc1pjKs8s[/video]

Go Cavs!!!​

 

[Ohio]

Fuck Orlando

 

[wuck]

2. Dion Waiters' Injury: How will the loss of Dion affect the team?

I'd like to see Karasev play a bit as the 4th guard.

 

[Dr. Gymbo]

I'd like to see Karasev play a bit as the 4th guard.

I think he was sent to Canton and I haven't heard/seen anything about him being recalled.

 

[CardiacCavs]

We are playing the worst road team in the NBA, at home, after winning 5 straight. The magic are playing the 2nd night of a road back to back after losing to Milwaukee last night.


we lose by 12.

 

[Stark]

If Andy and Dion are both out (which seems very likely):

PG - Jack (26) / Irving (20) / Delly (2)
SG - Irving (17) / Miles (15) / Delly (10) / Karasev (6)
SF - Deng (34) / Miles (12) / Gee (2)
PF - Thompson (24) / Bennett (24)
C - Zeller (32) / Sims (8) / Thompson (8)

So in terms of minutes played:

Irving - 37
Deng - 34
Thompson - 32
Zeller - 32
Miles - 27
Jack - 26
Bennett - 24
Delly - 12
Sims - 8
Karasev - 6

 

[Biw]

Will be attending this game. Disappointed I won't be seeing Dion play live, but I hope he gets back soon.

 

[Plaxicofan7]

If Andy and Dion are both out (which seems very likely):

PG - Jack (26) / Irving (20) / Delly (2)
SG - Irving (17) / Miles (15) / Delly (10) / Karasev (6)
SF - Deng (34) / Miles (12) / Gee (2)
PF - Thompson (24) / Bennett (24)
C - Zeller (32) / Sims (8) / Thompson (8)

So in terms of minutes played:

Irving - 37
Deng - 34
Thompson - 32
Zeller - 32
Miles - 27
Jack - 26
Bennett - 24
Delly - 12
Sims - 8
Karasev - 6

no way Zeller sees 32 minutes.
take away 8 from Zeller, give 4 to Sims and 4 to TT.

 

[Rondo]

Will be attending this game. Disappointed I won't be seeing Dion play live, but I hope he gets back soon.

Watching Dion live blows my mind. He is so fucking fast its like a blur to the rim.

 

[Norm]

Cavs by 12.......heard it here first

 

[Lyst]

Dion makes games exciting to watch. Kyrie is always amazing and fun to watch, but the unpredictability of Dion's game is what makes him interesting. Hope he never gets traded and comes back soon.

 

[kevin02]

The Pistons play the Bobcats again so if we win we will move a game closer to one of them no matter what.

If the Bobcats win, we are still 3 games out but a half a game back from Detroit.

If the Pistons win, we are 2 games out and 1.5 games behind Detroit.

Edit: Atlanta and Washington play too and they both still have the potential to fall out of the playoffs.

 

[Plaxicofan7]

The Pistons play the Bobcats again so if we win we will move a game closer to one of them no matter what.

If the Bobcats win, we are still 3 games out but a half a game back from Detroit.

If the Pistons win, we are 2 games out and 1.5 games behind Detroit.

Edit: Atlanta and Washington play too and they both still have the potential to fall out of the playoffs.

let DET win. we play both teams 2 times and it is best to be as close to the 8 seed as possible.

hmmmm, go WSH i say. ATL has a better chance of crumbling.

 

[Frank Stallone]

From last night...

"Beyond that, we’re talking about wins over the dregs — a Sacramento team that is miserable on the road, the bumbling Pistons (points for a road back-to-back win, though), and a Philly team that has transitioned from not trying on an organizational level to actually not trying on the court. (Seriously: Spencer Hawes on Tuesday night against the Cavs was actively avoiding any responsibility to defend shots at the rim. Like, he was jumping out of the way. It was a masterpiece of not giving a fuck.)" - Zach Lowe, Grantland

 

[Stark]

Varejao confirmed out tonight via Fred's twitter. Not sure about Dion, but I'd assume the same.